OptumRx launched the Scriptalk Talking Medication Label Reader for all its mail order pharmacy customers on Tuesday September 30. This is great news because they are the mail order pharmacy for United Health Care and other big insurance companies. Click or enter on this link for the details and please comment on my comparison of […]
Read more "A breakthrough for Talking Medication Labels"
Going to a show; a musical, a play, dance show or opera can be too painful in the first years after vision loss. There’s no doubt that seeing the stage set, the actors and their gestures perhaps even their expressions, is a great part of the enjoyment. Even watching the audience can be fun. Some […]
Read more "Why Go To See a Show When You Have Lost Most of Your Sight?"
If the arrows, numbers and On/Off print information on your electronics and appliances are becoming a blur, it is tempting to continue as before. But what is really happening? Most likely you are setting the washer and the remote (remote control for your TV, stereo etc.) from memory, guesswork or waiting till you can ask […]
Read more "Velcro, Hi-Marks and Spotters: the Private World of Bump Dots"
Here is a post about the PenFriend mentioned in Talking Pill Bottles Part 2 . It is the first of a group of posts about alternatives to print labels. The PenFriend was a breakthrough in labeling for anyone who struggles to read printed instructions or information. When it appeared, my colleague Eleanor Martin and I […]
Read more "Information When You Need It, Where You Need It: Audio Labelers"
There are plenty of excellent blind cooks, and some brilliant ones like Christine Ha who won the Master Chef contest a few years ago. This post is not meant for them, but for anyone new to cooking without using vision. And also for the tired and hungry who want a summer dinner without stress or a lot […]
Read more "Cut It in Half: the Time, the Heat and the Food"
Or maybe it’s your fingers that will get the most satisfaction! All the plants here can be grown successfully in tubs, pots or window-boxes. They are also sturdy and can be cared for without seeing them. Pleasing your fingers Your hands and fingers will be doing a lot of the work with not much […]
Read more "Do You Want to Please Your Eyes, Nose or Mouth?"
My old friend Karen and I were having a catch-up lunch together. I was happily telling her about a trip I’d been on. Karen was watching the waitress beside me who was handing me a napkin without saying anything and rolling her eyes when I didn’t take it as if I was an idiot. Suddenly […]
Read more "“She’s Blind”: tales for Family and Friends"
You are the closest relation or partner of someone who is losing vision, or has a diagnosis of a blinding disease. The shock and grief for you can be almost as great as for your loved one. You aren’t getting any of the special attention or professional care either. You’re just holding her (or his) […]
Read more "Dealing With Vision Loss in Your Partner, Parent or Best Friend"Celebrations like Thanksgiving can be particularly painful after any big loss. You think you will enjoy yourself at a family gathering …but you don’t. In fact you are kind of miserable. Remember, you don’t have to go to Thanksgiving dinner. There is no law requiring attendance. If you do decide to go, however, you have […]
Read more "Thanksgiving: How to Survive the Family Party"When do you speak about your loss of sight? When don’t you need to mention it? And how do you stop strangers or your cousin from asking intrusive questions? This is a big topic, but here are some tips to start with. At the beginning of your sight loss, you are still the person you […]
Read more "How to Talk About Your Vision Loss, and When"